‘Eric’ (2024) Review — Abi Morgan’s Writing Remains True To The Texture Of The Moment

The new British Netflix production Eric is an extraordinarily uneven experience. It attempts to use a character’s love of puppetry as a metaphor for mental health in an era when the Big Apple is rotting from its luscious core. The streaming series takes place in New York City and offers a snapshot of mental health, highlighting the lack of support or empathy for those who are different from those in power.

There are two different versions of Eric. The first story stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Vincent, a puppeteer who is the creative genius behind the 1980s New York children’s show Good Day Sunshine. However, the iconic program’s ratings have cratered in the last 12 months. The series co-owner and Vincent’s best friend, Lennie (The Offer’s Dan Fogler), thinks they need a new character to shake things up.

Of course, Vincent, being the unbearable artist—Cumberbatch plays Vincent with an insufferable sting—is against the idea. However, in less than a day, after fighting with his wife, Cassie (a wonderful Gabby Hoffman), their son Edgar (Ivan Morris) goes missing in a city teeming with dark pasts and checkered histories. Vincent takes a character his son was working on and tries to add it to the show. But why?

The puppet is named Eric, a deranged-looking seven-foot Yeti with blue streaks that looks so plush you can imagine the sales possibilities. He hopes Edgar will see it and then come home. His coworkers are disturbed by his behavior, and his wife is fed up with his drinking. A detective assigned to the case, Michael (Ozark’s McKinley Belcher III, phenomenal here), doesn’t buy it. Why? That’s because he thinks Eric may be the guilty one.

The mental health issue has been a central focus of Eric’s creator, Abi Morgan, a playwright and screenwriter known for Sex Traffic, Brick Lane, Shame, and Suffragette. A central theme of the story is Vincent’s mental health and begins to talk to Eric himself. It is not explicitly said, but it alludes to Vincent, who most likely self-medicates with alcohol. He was most likely suffering from an untreated mental health disorder since he was a child.

(**If we had to guess, the condition is most likely schizophrenia or some significant mental health disorder with psychotic features.**)

Benedict Cumberbatch is, of course, dynamite in the role. His character intentionally instigates the audience, challenging the viewer to a different kind of criminal mystery. His behaviors, easily depicting nervousness, a heightened state of alertness, and anxious fidgeting, are on full display, along with the extreme fear that comes with hallucinations. This is a perfect example of a writer and actor working harmoniously together.

However, there is another case of a missing teenager that doesn’t get the attention it deserves in Hell’s Kitchen. That’s because the victim was black and a homosexual. In those days, these are two things that moved you to the bottom of the pile. The character of Mike is another fascinating one, because he is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. (Honestly, I would love to think Ledroit was the real figure Captain Holt from Brooklyn Nine-Nine was based.)

By the end of the story, Abi Morgan does a beautiful thing where both missing children intersect. Even though Cumberbatch is the star, it’s Belcher who shines. His storyline encompasses a time of great struggle and solidarity. The visuals engage with gritty urban landscapes, abandoned buildings, vacant lots, and a lack of investment, leading to high levels of poverty and homelessness but with a vibrant street culture.

Admittingly, the two characters make Eric uneven at times. Cumberbatch’s Vincent becomes overbearing at times, to the point that the metaphor seems to be enlarged to fit the star. Yet, Belcher’s Ledriot is a fascinating slice of the time that reminds me of the great works of Colum McCann. Like McCann, Abi Morgan’s story remains true to the “texture” of the moment, offering a real slice of big city decay in an era when the Big Apple is rotting from its luscious core.

The new Netflix series Eric (2024) will stream on May 28th.